Devices are known in the prior art for inhibiting the growth of vegetation about the bases of trees and posts, and for protecting trees. See, for example, the following patents:
__________________________________________________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. ISSUE DATE INVENTOR TITLE __________________________________________________________________________ 1,130,546 Mar 2, 1915 Scott TREE PROTECTION 1,235,520 July 31, 1917 Kirfman TREE PROTECTING DEVICE 2,949,698 Aug 23, 1960 Downey RESILIENT PERMANENT MULCH PAD 3,571,972 Mar 23, 1971 Carter PROTECTIVE GROUND COLLAR __________________________________________________________________________
The Kirfman tree protector is apparently made of metal and is relatively expensive to manufacture and troublesome to install about a tree. The Downey mulch pad is made from inorganic glass and mineral wool fibers of the type used for insulation material in refrigerators, ovens, and the like, and is also relatively expensive to manufacture. The Scott tree protector is made from tarpaper, tarred burlap, or felt. Neither Scott, Downey, or Kirfman provide adjustment in size for a growing tree or to enable the protector to be installed about different sizes of trees. Each protector was apparently custom-made for a specific tree.
The Carter protective ground collar is made from felt impregnated with polyurethane resin. Carter's ground collar includes three separate sheets. The inner one is an adjustable portion that fits snugly around a tree and expands outwardly as the tree grows, but the assembling of the three sheets about a tree is unduly troublesome and time consuming.